GREAT OCEAN LINERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20622, 22 July 1930, Page 5

GREAT OCEAN LINERS.

VALUE FOR INSURANCE.

TWENTY-FIVE OVER £1,000,000.

With the entrance into the transatlantic sorvice of tho White Star motor-liner Britannic, of 27,000 tons gross, there are at last 25 merchant ships in the world which are valued for insurance at £1,000,000 or more. It is understood that tho value placed on tho Britannic for insurance is £1,200,000, tho shipping correspondent of the Times wrote recently. Tho highest value placed on British ships already in service appears to be £1,500,000, for which each of the liners in tho Cunard Company's express transatlantic service is covered. Tho threo biggest vessels of tho Cunard are now Aquitania, Berengaiia and Mauretania. The insured value of the Majestic, of 56.551 tons, which is described as the largest vessel in tho world, is believed to be £1,300,000.

Tho highest valued ships now in service aro understood to be tho new German liners Bremen and Europa, which aro valued for insurance at about £1,900,000 each, and tho United States liner Leviathan, insured on a value of about £1,600,000. The insured value of tho French liner lie do France is £1 200,000, and vessels which aro now covered for about £1,000,000 include the new Orient liner Orontcs, the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's motor-ships< Alcantara and Asturias, the Union-Castlo linor Carnarvon Castle, tho Canadian Pacific liners Empress of Japan and Empress of Canada, the French liner Paris, tho Dutch steamer Statcndam, the Italian liners Vulcania, Saturnia and Augustus,

the Arnorican liners California and Virginia, and the now Japanese motor-vessels Chichibu Maru, Asama Maru and Tatsuta Maru The Furness ( Withy liner Bermuda, designed for the passenger service between New York and Bermuda, id another very costly ship. Numerous large passenger liners are valued for insurance at rather less than £1,000,000.

Exceptionally high values will in duo course bo placed on ships now being built or projected. These include the Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Britain, of 42,500 tons, which was launched at Clydebank last month, the Italian liner Conto Azzura, of 42,000 tons, the two Union-Castle motor-ships Winchester Castle and Warwick Castle, of about 20,000 tons each, two ships to be built for the United States Lines by the New York Shipbuilding Company, and the proposed Cunard liiicr, the value of which promises to bo the greatest of all. It may be expected that when the insurances on the new Cunardcr come to be arranged there will be a need for every British insurance company and every British underwriter to accept a full line.

POTATO DISEASES.

TROUBLE IN VICTORIA. Much interest has been aroused among the potato-growers of Daylesford, Victoria, by the comments of the potato expert of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. J. T. Ramsay, on potato diseases, and by the ; fact that many farmers have been troubled with diseases in their crops. Mr. J. S. Gooch, who is regarded as one of the most scientific potato-growers in the district, stated that the most unfortunate aspect of the problem is that farmers do not know when there is disease in their crops. Digging is commenced, and the yields are not up to expectations.' Then it is known that there is something wrong, but the failure is attributed to various causes. This was so throughout the State, and very often diseased seed was sold without the buyer or the seller being aware of anything wrong. One of tho most important phases of potato-farm-ing was the selection of seed free from disease.

Mr. Goocb said that very often he found it difficult to purchase seed which did not bear the sign of disease, and this could hardly be wondered at when it was realised that very little seed was treated before being sown. Wheat farmers, for instance, had to use formalin to prevent disoase in the seed, and there were treatments just as effective which could be used for potatoes. The farmer needed expert advice from the Department of Agriculture. Unfortunately very little was given, as there were only two potato experts employed in the department. Although Daylesford is a large potatoproducing centre, and the yields have been good this season, only two trucks have been sent away from the Daylesford railway station this season. Farmers are pitting the potatoes in the hope that tho prices will firm.

AUSTRALIAN TIMBER DUTIES. PROTEST FROM JAPAN. In tho few weeks preceding the recent revision of the Australian tariff, Japanese shippers of ! timber to Australia were greatly concerned that their trade might be brought to a standstill. Protests were issued on their behalf against any increase in the duties, and the exporters urged the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce to make representations to tho Ministry to defer taking action. Several cable messages were received by the chamber from Japanese sources, the particulars of which are given in the June journal of the organisation.

One message from Baron Sakarani, of the Australia-Japan Society, reads: "The proposed prohibition on importation of oak lumber is detrimental to good trado relations. exercise your influence in preventing bill from being introduced." From the president of the Japan Chamber of Commerce at Otnrii a message stated:— "We hear your Tariff Board debating prohibition import of lumber under 72in., and increaso duty on others. Otaru exporting lumber annually about £200,000, vvhilo Japan imports from Australia enormous. Consider such movement mutually disadvantageous. Please exercise your influence with all others concerned to provent bill." The Chamber of Commerco at Tokio sent tho following message:—"Oak proposed tariff and prohibition seriously affect mutual trado interest. Kindly take best steps prevent their enactment." Tho messages wero sent to tho Federal Ministry.